Review: 'Marlow Briggs and the Mask of Death'

September 28, 2013|By Robert Workman | Video Game Reviews

GamerHub.tv

Remember those 80s movies that were so cornball you couldn't possibly take them seriously? You know which ones I'm talking about. The Richard Chamberlain remake of "King Solomon's Mines" where Sharon Stone attempted to establish herself as a leading lady. Dolph Lundgren's "I Come In Peace," where aliens could miraculously outrun exploding bullets and suck brain matter out of humans, all while Dolph retained a silly hairstyle. Even "Howard the Duck" was so silly and unbelievable that you couldn't help but embrace its ridiculous nature. I mean, how did he get Lea Thompson in her lingerie, anyway?!

That's the sort of approach you should take with "Marlow Briggs and the Mask of Death." What first appears to be a cheaply made "God of War" clone eventually settles into its own groove, thanks to the cheesy voice acting that fits the part, over-the-top action and decent production values for an Xbox Live Arcade downloadable title.

Marlow will hardly top Kratos in a fight any time soon, but he's a good go-to guy for Saturday morning mindlessness.

Marlow is a man on a mission. His girlfriend eventually leaves her job in Central America when she finds out her boss -- who, by the way, owns an endless supply of helicopters, as you'll learn throughout the game -- is digging up trouble in the Mayan ruins. He's not too fond of her leaving, so he kidnaps her and leaves Marlow for dead with a sword buried in his abdomen.

But Marlow's story isn't over. A wise-cracking Tiki mask reawakens him as a spiritual warrior, tasking him to cut down the madman's army with a number of makeshift weapons, while also taking part in challenging stages where he must dodge objects, whether he's jumping across perfectly aligned mine carts (yeah, that makes sense) or dangling upside down from a helicopter with perfect physical form. Again, cheesy and ridiculous but with a sense of likability.

The combat in Marlow Briggs is definitely "God of War-ish," with different weapons to choose from, a rolling dodge tactic, and the ability to hurl enemies off of the side of the structure if you don't feel like putting up with them. There are also some QTE sequences for good measure, because, well, just because. However, the team at ZootFly managed to throw in some diverse sequences, including some entertaining turret battles, where you gun down an endless supply of helicopters and, as a result, mindless pilots who don't mind running into the way of a turret.

As for the production values, they're actually rather high for an Xbox Live release. The level design is significantly large, with plenty of areas to explore and power-up masks to find on each level. There are also plenty of explosive moments, including unbelievable ones where Marlow escapes mid-air collisions and fiery missile encounters by the seat of his pants. It also helps that the voice acting is on the right level, especially the Tiki mask, which provides wisecracks even after you meet your demise. (Don't worry, you get right back into the thick of the action.) The music is very good as well, with a sense of adventure packed into its orchestrations.

This game shouldn't be looked at as a game that will become an ultimate action favorite. You'll be done with it in approximately six hours' time, and this guy wouldn't last a second against the real "God of War." That said, it's better than expected, mainly due to ZootFly's approach of "heck with it, let's make this happen" at nearly every turn. Its ridiculously over-the-top approach, combined with a decent presentation and plenty of exciting gameplay moments, make this the perfect getaway for the weekend. Just don't expect to come back for repeat visits, unless, of course, you like this sort of thing. Or own that cherished DVD copy of "Howard the Duck."